Abbott urges Texans to brace for winter storm, issues disaster declaration for all 254 counties
UPDATE, Feb. 13: Gov. Greg Abbott on Saturday urged Texans to stay alert as the National Weather Service issued winter storm warnings or watches for most of the state. He also said experts fear that electricity demand during the frigid temperatures could cause power outages.
RELATED STORY: Winter Weather Advisory in El Paso, Dona Ana counties; Winter Storm Warning in Hudspeth, Otero counties
"Texas should heed the guidance of their local leaders and stay alert to changing weather conditions in their area," Abbott said at a news conference.
"Every part of the state will face freezing conditions over the coming days, and I urge all Texans to remain vigilant against the extremely harsh weather that is coming," Abbott added. "Stay off the roads, take conscious steps to conserve energy, and avoid dangerous practices like bringing generators indoors or heating homes with ovens or stove-tops."
Abbott ordered the Texas Division of Emergency Management to deploy a variety of state resources, including through the Texas Department of Transportation to prepare roads, the Texas Highway Patrol to help stranded drivers and the Public Utility Commission to monitor and report power outages.
For current weather conditions, live Doppler radar, the latest forecast and any watches or warnings, visit kvia.com/weather.
ORIGINAL REPORT, Feb. 12: AUSTIN, Texas — A major winter storm was expected to dump freezing rain and snowfall with bitterly cold temperatures over many parts of Texas this weekend through early next week.
No part of the state was expected to escape this blast of winter weather, prompting Gov. Greg Abbott on Friday afternoon to issue a disaster declaration for all of the state's 254 counties ahead of the storm.
The governor said state resources, including equipment and personnel, would be deployed.
In El Paso, the city indicated it was ready to activate its snow and ice control plan with treatments to key streets and overpasses.
“We are closely monitoring the weather conditions and adjusting our storm response plans to it. Streets crews have all the proper equipment and materials ready to deploy, such as sand or salt,” said the city's Streets and Maintenance Department Director Richard Bristol.
In Houston, officials to advised residents to prepare for power outages and hazardous roads that would be similar to those experienced in the wake of a Category 5 hurricane.
“It’s a serious event, and we want to treat it the same way we would if a hurricane were to (be) forecast and land here,” said Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo, the top elected official in the county where Houston is located.
In the Dallas-Fort Worth area, heavy snowfall was forecast for late Sunday into Monday.
In the Texas Panhandle, the wind chill factor from Sunday through Tuesday could dip to 25 to 30 degrees below zero in some locations, along with snowfall of up to 12 inches.
Even in deep South Texas, which also typically has mild winters, temperatures were expected to be in the 20s.
“It’s going to be a mess,” said Lance Wood, a science operations officer with National Weather Service in the Houston area.
For current weather conditions, live Doppler radar, the latest forecast and any watches or warnings, visit kvia.com/weather.
